Quick backstory here: I was prompted to write the below after receiving the following message from a really thoughtful reader earlier this afternoon. I have a feeling that, like me, many of you are currently navigating the tricky, exhausting space between a desire to denounce every act of antisemitism you see, and…complete, utter overwhelm. In the face of a never-ending barrage of bad news headlines, I think that’s a pretty normal feeling to have. Anyway, if that *is* the case, I hope my thoughts can be helpful to you.
There are many different ways of fighting antisemitism.
Most of them have nothing to do with antisemitism.
Most of them just have to do with living a good life.
We can try to combat each and every one of those external horror stories—the hatred that doesn’t actually have anything to do with Judaism itself, but has become inextricably linked with the lived experience of being Jewish since nearly 1000 BCE.
Or we can focus on just…living well. We can focus on showing the world (and, more importantly, reminding each other) how special and GOOD and hilarious and delicious our way of life is, and how beautiful Judaism is.
Obviously, it’s a balance. I really don’t want this page to become steeped in heartbreak and terror. That doesn’t feel productive. But I don’t want to avert my eyes either.
For now, I’m choosing to return to the work that really does mean so much to me and (I hope!) to you, whoever you are—the crafts, the set tables, the things shaped like pumpkins. I still believe in the power of those things, and I still believe, pretty strongly, that art and beauty have a really important role in all of this.
So let’s get back to the joyful stuff.
Because joy is important.
Joy is Jewish.
And joy is part of the fight too.
P.S. Have a cookie.